Mike Dorsey (www.IAmMikeDorsey.com) is a Proud Husband and Father. He’s also a sought after Author, Podcaster, Speaker, Host and Workshop Facilitator. He holds a B.S. in Economics from Georgia Institute of Technology and has spent almost 15 years in sales with various Fortune 500 Companies. He’s the Author of the Books Dynamic Black Fatherhood Manifesto (2018) and ABE Always Be Engaged: The 7 Keys to Living a Fit Urban Life (2015). He’s the creator of the Podcast, “Black Fathers, NOW!” www.BlackFathersNOW.com and the Apparel company Black Family Apparel www.BlackFamilyApparel.com. He currently lives in Knoxville, TN, and enjoys traveling the world and having engaging experiences with interesting people.

Volunteer Spotlight

The Memphis Botanic Garden’s Tree Team is a group of 5 volunteers that trudge over our 96 acres to maintain the Level 4 Arboretum and Conifer Reference Garden. They also help with outreach projects for our Center of Excellence responsibilities. It consists of (in order of joining) Polly Baxter, Jan Castillo, Sean Pflaumer, Deb Foehring and Linnea West. It began with a statement from a volunteer about 14 years ago when we were discussing the Arboretum program overseen by TUFC. “We could do that” became a several year project as we ‘went for the gold’ and catalogued and mapped 188 trees. Volunteers have come and gone (as have some of the trees) but we continue to have about the same number of trees on our recertification list. The tree team loves a field trip, and one of their favorite activities is helping local agencies (schools, parks, cemeteries) become Certified Arboretums. There have been many animated discussions when trying to define exactly which oak or hickory might be added to a list. Their current project is collecting way points on all of the ‘certified’ trees so our map will be more accurate. They have also developed a spread sheet of information on each of the trees with the soon to be realized dream of making this information available to visitors through smart phones while walking out on our grounds. Now, if we could just clone them and assign a group to the shrubs, vines, perennials…

Laurie Williams, Memphis Botanic Garden

Program Spotlight:

Workshop

Introduction to Citizen Urban Forestry Workshop

September 13th from 1:00-5:00 the workshop was offered in Nashville at our Middle Tennessee Center of Excellence, Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. The class covered the importance of trees, tree identification, tree installation, EAB and tree pruning.

In 2019 we will be offering an advanced course for those that would like to learn key tree features to help them identify trees in the winter. If you would be interested in this class, please fill out the survey to help us determine a day and time that would work for you.

Winter Tree Identification Survey

We also plan to offer a series of classes (once a week) in the Fall of 2019 that will be similar to the Master Gardner’s certification program but all on trees! Be on the lookout for more information!

In 2016, a team of students and faculty at the University of Tennessee contracted with the TN Division of Forestry to re-inventory the state’s champion trees. Revitalizing a program that began in the early 1970’s. Now the torch has been passed to the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council. CLICK HERE to view program details and the updated list of Tennessee’s largest trees!

Amazing New Volunteer Log

Join our Board of Directors

The Tennessee Urban Forestry Council (TUFC) is deeply rooted in promoting healthy and sustainable urban and community forests which contribute to clean air and water, economic stability, and beautiful green places in which all Tennesseans and future generations will love, work and play. To continue to promote these efforts the TUFC is accepting board nominations year round. If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors, please let us know. All board members are required to choose a committee to serve on. Committee assignments are detailed below. Self-nominations are welcomed.